Volume 2 Chapter 51 The Villainous Guildmaster, Secretly Preventing the End of the World [II]
Act stood alone in the frozen world, facing a man who called himself the Evil God.
"N-no way... How can you move in this frozen world?!"
The masked man, pretending to be a genius, was clearly shaken.
"My eyes are specially made."
Eye of the Time King.
The strongest magical eye that controls time and space.
This magical eye has the ability known as [Unique Time Manipulation].
It can speed up or slow down the time inside my body.
If he use that ability, he can move even if time has stopped.
Even if the world's time is frozen, I can accelerate my own time and move.
...However, it puts a heavy strain on my body.
But Act shows no sign of this.
He believes it will unnerve his opponent.
"Guildmaster, you're amazing! Seriously, you're too incredible!"
Vivre's broken body was restored perfectly thanks to Act's [Secret Technique].
"...I see. You really are a tough one."
The masked man, Dostoevsky, took a deep breath and spoke.
"I thought I had destroyed the world just now... but you restored it with your eye's power."
"Well, that's true."
Act and Dostoevsky were in a tense standoff.
The backlash from overdriving the Eye of the Time King had left Act severely damaged.
But if his opponent knew this, he would strike back.
The reason neither of them could act was out of caution for the eyes held by the man before him.
"Hehe... Ahaha! No, this is wonderful... truly wonderful, Act!"
Dostoevsky burst into loud laughter.
"You foresaw the future and saw the world's destruction. Pretending to be unable to move was a trick to make me drop my guard! I see... I've been completely outsmarted."
"S-so amazing, Mr. Act! To trick even the Evil God..."
Vivre and Dostoevsky nod in impressed agreement.
"But did you really need to destroy the world? You could have stopped it beforehand, right?"
"I couldn't create a chance otherwise. I had to take this from the Evil God."
Act forcefully moves his creaking body and pulls out the Cursed Gem from his pocket.
"Wh-What!? When did you...!"
Vivre's eyes widen in shock.
Meanwhile, Dostoevsky claps.
"Well done! I see now, when humans feel confident, that's when they let their guard down. Just at the moment the world was collapsing, you took advantage of my psychological opening, reversed the world, and snatched it at the same time with that acceleration power."
Dostoevsky nods repeatedly as he speaks.
"What's wrong, Evil God? You're sweating on your forehead."
"Ngh...!"
Trying to maintain calm, the Evil God is now in a dire situation.
The time stop, which was their secret weapon, has been broken by Act (or so they believe), and their prized bomb has been taken away.
Powerful warriors, starting with the Great Hero, surround him.
The Evil God cannot gauge the true power held in Act's gaze.
Desperate thoughts whirl──what should he do?
Act could easily sense this.
Yet, that same psychological struggle shows just how close Act is to his limit.
Soon...
Bam!
Suddenly, a white mist appears right in front of them.
"Is this... a smoke screen?"
Vivre looks around in disbelief.
'Let's call it a day for now. We shall meet again someday.'
The Evil God's voice echoes from somewhere.
Despite Vivre searching with wide eyes, Dostoevsky is nowhere to be seen.
Gradually, the mist starts to clear.
"I-I can't believe it, Guildmaster! That Evil God ran away with his tail between his legs!"
The Demon Dragon exclaims in a loud voice.
Act staggers, kneeling on one knee.
"W-What's wrong!? Are you okay?!"
"...It's nothing."
The sudden backlash of forcing movement in frozen time hits hard.
But Act never shows pain or suffering.
"More importantly, Vivre. What you saw in this frozen time must stay secret."
"Huh? W-why...?"
"You don't need to know. Just listen to me."
Vivre tilts her head in confusion.
But then she quickly realizes.
With Jacky defeated, the Hero Party's spirits are high.
Lawrence and the others don't know about the Evil God's attack or the world's destruction.
If they knew, they would be scared of the Evil God's unknown power, and their spirits would drop.
That's why Act told her to stay quiet.
"Got it?"
"...Understood."
Act tries to stand up.
But suddenly, he collapses to his knees.
Just before he falls, Vivre grabs Act's arm.
"Whoa! What's wrong, Mr. Act?"
Lawrence, who seemed frozen, quickly notices Act's change.
It seems time has started moving again.
"It's nothing. Hey, horse, carry me."
"Yes!"
Vivre transforms into a Demon Dragon and flies with Act on her back.
"Oh, are you leaving already, Guildmaster?"
"Let's have a victory party, Mr. Act!"
Act turns away from the smiling Hero Party and says,
"I have my own work to do. If you want to celebrate, do it without me."
""Ehh...?""
Then Lawrence nods as if he understands something.
"Well, well! Let's just do it without him!"
Immediately, everyone, starting with Lawrence, realizes.
They don't know what happened.
They just sensed that Act is tired.
"Well, it can't be helped. See you later, Guildmaster. It'll be too late to join the party later."
"Make sure to rest well, Mr. Act!"
Act doesn't respond.
He just gives Vivre's back a light pat.
The Demon Dragon spreads its wings wide and leaves Lawrence and the others behind.
'After all, Mr. Act is... so kind.'
Vivre says in a gentle voice that doesn't match his scary face.
"What's with the sudden comment?"
'You told everyone to be quiet and not worry about it, right? ...But it's not good to bear it all alone, you know.'
"Hmph," Act snorted through his nose.
But he seemed quite exhausted, sighing heavily with his shoulders.
'Couldn't you just tell Ms. Luna and get healed, huh?'
"Annoying. You don't have to say unnecessary things."
'Yeah, but... telling only Ms. Luna and making her keep quiet... it would just burden her, you know.'
Act didn't answer.
Vivre smiled bitterly at his awkward kindness.
'...You're really something, Mr. Act.'
Act was already asleep, silent.
Making sure no one was listening, Vivre whispered.
'I really... love you.'
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